Heater assembly and method of manufacturing a heater assembly

Abstract

A heater assembly for heating an aerosol-generating substance, the heater assembly comprising: a receiving portion configured to receive the aerosol-generating substance; an induction coil coupled to an outer surface of the receiving portion; a base located in the receiving portion and configured to generate heat by an alternating magnetic field generated by a current flowing through the induction coil; and a support element coupled to the base so that the base is separated from the inner surface of the receiving portion by the support element, wherein the induction coil comprises a wire, the wire comprises a conductor, an insulator surrounding the conductor, and a bonding member surrounding the insulator. In addition, a method for manufacturing a heater assembly for heating an aerosol-generating substance is provided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a heater assembly for an aerosol generating device and a method of manufacturing the heater assembly. Background Art

[0002] Recently, there has been an increasing demand for alternative methods that overcome the disadvantages of conventional cigarettes. For example, there is a growing demand for methods that generate aerosols by heating aerosol-generating substances in cigarettes at relatively low temperatures instead of burning the cigarettes.

[0003] In addition, research on heater components of heating aerosol generating devices is actively being conducted. Examples of heater components for heating aerosol generating substances include resistance heating heater components and induction heating heater components. Recently, there has been an increasing demand for induction heating heater components that can heat at relatively low temperatures. Summary of the invention

[0004] Technical issues

[0005] There is a need for a heater assembly that excels in electrical efficiency, manufacturability, and / or productivity.

[0006] Problems to be solved by the embodiments are not limited to the above-described problems, and those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains can clearly understand undescribed problems from the present specification and the accompanying drawings.

[0007] Technical Solution

[0008] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a heater assembly for heating an aerosol generating substance may include: a containing portion configured to contain the aerosol generating substance; an induction coil connected to an outer surface of the containing portion; a base located in the containing portion and configured to generate heat by an alternating magnetic field generated by an electric current flowing through the induction coil; and a supporting element connected to the base so that the base is separated from the inner surface of the containing portion by the supporting element, wherein the induction coil includes a wire, the wire includes a conductor, an insulator surrounding the conductor, and a bonding member surrounding the insulator.

[0009] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a heater assembly for heating an aerosol generating substance may include: a containing portion configured to contain the aerosol generating substance; an induction coil connected to an outer surface of the containing portion; a base located in the containing portion and configured to generate heat by an alternating magnetic field generated by an electric current flowing through the induction coil; and a supporting element arranged between the base and the containing portion such that the base is spaced a predetermined distance from an inner surface of the containing portion, wherein the induction coil includes a wire, the wire includes a conductor and an insulator surrounding the conductor, and the induction coil is wrapped by a bonding element.

[0010] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a method for manufacturing a heater assembly for heating an aerosol generating substance comprises: forming a base assembly by connecting a base to a supporting element; positioning the base assembly in a housing portion for housing the aerosol generating substance, so that the base is spaced a predetermined distance from an inner surface of the housing portion by the supporting element; forming an induction coil having a shape corresponding to an outer surface of the housing portion by winding a wire including a conductor, an insulator and a coupling member; heating the induction coil to a predetermined temperature to melt the coupling member; cooling the induction coil so that the melted coupling member solidifies and the induction coil is fixed in the shape of the solidified coupling member; and fitting the induction coil around the outer surface of the housing portion.

[0011] According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, a method for manufacturing a heater assembly for heating an aerosol generating substance may include: forming a base assembly by connecting a base to a supporting element; positioning the base assembly in a accommodating portion that accommodates the aerosol generating substance, such that the base is separated from an inner surface of the accommodating portion by the supporting element; forming an induction coil having a shape corresponding to an outer surface of the accommodating portion by winding a wire including a conductor and an insulator; wrapping the induction coil with a binding element such that the shape of the induction coil is fixed by the binding element; and fitting the induction coil around the outer surface of the accommodating portion.

[0012] Beneficial effects of the present invention

[0013] According to the present disclosure, the electrical efficiency of the heater assembly can be improved by increasing the inductance of the induction coil. In addition, by simplifying the construction of the heater assembly, the assembly performance and productivity can be improved and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[0014] The effects of the embodiments are not limited to the above-described effects, and those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure relates will clearly understand undescribed effects from the present specification and the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1is an example showing the insertion of a cigarette into an aerosol generating device;

[0016] Figure 2 is a view showing an example of representing a cigarette;

[0017] Figure 3A is a cross-sectional view of a heater assembly according to an embodiment;

[0018] Figure 3B is a cross-sectional view of a heater assembly according to another embodiment;

[0019] Figure 4A is an exploded view of a base assembly according to an embodiment;

[0020] Figure 4B is an exploded view of a base assembly according to another embodiment;

[0021] Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view of an induction coil including a bonding member according to various embodiments;

[0022] Figure 6 shows a cross-sectional view of an induction coil wrapped by a bonding element according to an embodiment;

[0023] Figure 7 is a flow chart of a method of manufacturing a heater assembly according to an embodiment;

[0024] Figure 8 is a flow chart of a method of manufacturing a heater assembly according to another embodiment; and

[0025] Fig. 9 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0027] According to the present disclosure, a heater assembly for heating an aerosol generating substance may include: a containing portion, the cover containing portion being configured to contain the aerosol generating substance; an induction coil, the induction coil being connected to the outer surface of the containing portion; a base, the base being located in the containing portion and the base being configured to generate heat by an alternating magnetic field generated by an electric current flowing through the induction coil; and a supporting element, the supporting element being connected to the base so that the base is separated from the inner surface of the containing portion by the supporting element, wherein the induction coil includes a wire, the wire includes a conductor, an insulator surrounding the conductor, and a bonding member surrounding the insulator.

[0028] The induction coil may have a shape corresponding to the outer surface of the accommodating portion, and the induction coil is fixed in this shape when the coupling member is heated to a predetermined temperature and then cooled, and the predetermined temperature does not exceed the heat resistance temperature of the conductor and the insulator, and the predetermined temperature is greater than or equal to the heat resistance temperature of the coupling member.

[0029] The heater assembly may further include a fixing member disposed in a gap between the supporting member and the receiving portion such that the supporting member is fixed to the receiving portion.

[0030] The base may have a hollow tubular shape, the base having a base opening, and the support element may have a hat shape, the support element having a support element opening, the diameter of the support element opening may be larger than the diameter of the base opening, and the support element may be connected to the base so that the center of the support element opening coincides with the center of the base opening.

[0031] The supporting element may include a first cap-shaped portion and a second cap-shaped portion, and the first cap-shaped portion may wrap at least a portion of an upper surface of the base and at least a portion of an outer surface of the base, and the second cap-shaped portion may wrap at least a portion of a lower surface of the base and at least a portion of an outer surface of the base.

[0032] The bonding member may include at least one of polyamide and polyvinyl butyral.

[0033] The support member may include a high heat-resistant material, and the support member is configured to block heat transfer from the base to the receiving portion.

[0034] The induction coil may include Litz wires made by twisting wires, each of which includes a conductor, an insulator surrounding the conductor, and a bonding member surrounding the insulator.

[0035] According to the present disclosure, a heater assembly for heating an aerosol generating substance may include: a containing portion, which is configured to contain the aerosol generating substance; an induction coil, which is connected to the outer surface of the containing portion; a base, which is located in the containing portion and is configured to generate heat by an alternating magnetic field generated by an electric current flowing through the induction coil; and a supporting element, which is arranged between the base and the containing portion so that the base is spaced a predetermined distance from the inner surface of the containing portion, wherein the induction coil includes a wire, the wire includes a conductor and an insulator surrounding the conductor, and the induction coil is wrapped by a bonding element.

[0036] The induction coil may have a shape corresponding to an outer surface of the receiving portion, and the induction coil may maintain the shape by the coupling member.

[0037] The heater assembly may further include a fixing member disposed in a gap between the supporting member and the receiving portion such that the supporting member is fixed to the receiving portion.

[0038] The base may have a hollow tubular shape, the base having a base opening, and the support element may have a hat shape, the support element having a support element opening, the diameter of the support element opening may be larger than the diameter of the base opening, and the support element may be connected to the base so that the center of the support element opening coincides with the center of the base opening.

[0039] The supporting element may include a first cap-shaped portion and a second cap-shaped portion, and the first cap-shaped portion may wrap at least a portion of an upper surface of the base and at least a portion of an outer surface of the base, and the second cap-shaped portion may wrap at least a portion of a lower surface of the base and at least a portion of an outer surface of the base.

[0040] The material of the bonding element may be polyimide.

[0041] The support member may be formed of a high heat-resistant material for blocking heat transfer from the base to the receiving portion.

[0042] The induction coil may comprise Litz wire made of twisted wire.

[0043] According to the present disclosure, a method of manufacturing a heater assembly for heating an aerosol generating substance may include: forming a base assembly by coupling a base to a support element for supporting the base;

[0044] Positioning a base assembly in a receiving portion for receiving an aerosol generating substance such that the base is separated from an inner surface of the receiving portion by a supporting element by a predetermined distance; forming an induction coil having a shape corresponding to an outer surface of the receiving portion by winding a wire including a conductor, an insulator, and a bonding member; heating the induction coil to a predetermined temperature to melt the bonding member; cooling the induction coil such that the melted bonding member solidifies and the shape of the induction coil is fixed by the solidified bonding member; and fitting the induction coil around the outer surface of the receiving portion.

[0045] According to the present disclosure, a method for manufacturing a heater assembly for heating an aerosol generating substance may include: forming a base assembly by connecting a base to a supporting element; positioning the base assembly in a housing portion for housing the aerosol generating substance, such that the base is separated from an inner surface of the housing portion by the supporting element; forming an induction coil having a shape corresponding to an outer surface of the housing portion by winding a wire including a conductor and an insulator; wrapping the induction coil with a binding element such that the shape of the induction coil is fixed by the binding element; and fitting the induction coil around an outer surface of the housing portion.

[0046] Solution of the present invention

[0047] With regard to the terms used in describing the various embodiments, the functions of the structural elements in the various embodiments of the present disclosure are considered to select the currently widely used general terms. However, the meaning of these terms can be changed according to the intention, judicial precedents, the emergence of new technologies, etc. In addition, in some cases, uncommon terms can be selected. In this case, the meaning of the term will be described in detail at the corresponding part in the description of the present disclosure. Therefore, the terms used in the various embodiments of the present disclosure should be defined based on the term meanings and descriptions provided herein.

[0048] In addition, unless explicitly described to the contrary, the term "include" and variations such as "include" or "comprising" will be understood to mean including the stated elements but not excluding any other elements. In addition, the terms "-device", "-unit" and "module" described in the application documents refer to units for processing at least one function and work, and can be implemented by hardware components or software components and their combination.

[0049] As used herein, expressions such as "at least one of..." when preceding a list of elements modify the entire list of elements and do not modify the individual elements in the list. For example, the expression "at least one of a, b, and c" should be understood to include only a, only b, only c, both a and b, both a and c, both b and c, or all of a, b, and c.

[0050] It should be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being "above," "over," "above," "connected to," or "coupled to" another element or layer, the element or layer may be directly above, above, above, connected to, or coupled to another element or layer, or there may be intermediate elements or layers. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly above," "directly on," "directly above," "directly connected to," or "directly coupled to," there are no intermediate elements or layers. Throughout the text, the same reference numerals indicate the same elements.

[0051] The term "aerosol generating article" may refer to any article designed to be smoked by a person by sucking on the aerosol generating article. The aerosol generating article may include an aerosol generating substance, which generates an aerosol when heated, even if it is not burned. For example, one or more aerosol generating articles may be loaded in an aerosol generating device and generate an aerosol when heated by the aerosol generating device. The shape, size, material and structure of the aerosol generating article may be different depending on the embodiment. Examples of aerosol generating articles may include, but are not limited to, cigarette-shaped substrates and cigarette cartridges. Hereinafter, the term "cigarette" (i.e., when used alone without modifiers such as "general", "traditional" or "combustible") may refer to an aerosol generating article having a shape similar to that of a traditional combustible cigarette.

[0052] Hereinafter, the present disclosure will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments of the present disclosure are shown so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present disclosure. However, the present disclosure can be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

[0053] In addition, terms including ordinal numbers such as "first" or "second" used in the present specification may be used to describe various components, but the components are not limited by the terms. Such terms are only used to distinguish one component from another component.

[0054] In addition, the sizes and proportions of some components in the drawings may be slightly exaggerated. In addition, components shown in some drawings may not be shown in other drawings.

[0055] Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0056] Figure 1 is an example showing a cigarette being inserted into an aerosol generating device.

[0057] refer to Figure 1, the aerosol generating device 100 includes a heater assembly 104, a processor 105, and a battery 106. In addition, at least a portion of the aerosol generating substance or the cigarette 200 may be accommodated in the heater assembly 104 of the aerosol generating device 100.

[0058] Only some of the components of the aerosol generating device 100 that are relevant to this embodiment are shown in Figure 1 Therefore, those skilled in the art who are related to this embodiment can understand that, in addition to Figure 1 In addition to the components shown in FIG. 1 , the aerosol generating device 100 may also include other common components.

[0059] Figure 1 The battery 106, processor 105 and heater assembly 104 are shown arranged in a row. However, the internal structure of the aerosol generating device 100 is not limited to Figure 1 In other words, the arrangement structure of the battery 106 , the processor 105 , and the heater assembly 104 may be changed according to the design of the aerosol generating device 100 .

[0060] When the cigarette 200 is inserted into the aerosol generating device 100, the aerosol generating device 100 operates the heater assembly 104 to generate aerosol from the cigarette 200. The aerosol generated by the heater assembly 104 is delivered to the user through the cigarette 200.

[0061] If desired, the aerosol generating device 100 may operate the heater assembly 104 even when the cigarette 200 is not inserted into the aerosol generating device 100 .

[0062] The battery 106 supplies power for operating the aerosol generating device 100. For example, the battery 106 may supply power to allow the heater assembly 104 to operate, and specifically, the battery 106 may supply power to allow the induction coil 103 to generate an alternating magnetic field.

[0063] In addition, the battery 106 can supply power required to operate the processor 105. In addition, the battery 106 can supply power required to operate a display, a sensor, a motor, etc. installed in the aerosol generating device 100.

[0064] The processor 105 controls the overall operation of the aerosol generating device 100. Specifically, the processor 105 controls not only the operation of the battery 106 and the induction coil 103, but also the operation of other components included in the aerosol generating device 100. In addition, the processor 105 can also determine whether the aerosol generating device 100 is in an operable state by checking the states of the various components of the aerosol generating device 100.

[0065] The processor 105 may be two or more processors. The processor may also be composed of an array of multiple logic gates, or may be composed of a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory storing a program that can be executed in the microprocessor. In addition, those skilled in the art related to the present embodiment will understand that the processor may be composed of other types of hardware.

[0066] The heater assembly 104 may be operated by power supplied from the battery 106. For example, when a cigarette is inserted into the aerosol generating device 100, the cigarette may be accommodated in the accommodation portion 101 of the heater assembly 104. Thus, the heating element of the heater assembly 104 may increase the temperature of the aerosol generating substance in the cigarette.

[0067] The heating element of the heater assembly 104 may be an induction heating type heater. Specifically, the heater assembly 104 may include a conductive induction coil 103 for heating the base 102 by an induction heating method. The base 102 may be provided in the aerosol generating device 100 or may be included in the cigarette 200.

[0068] However, the heating element is not limited to the above examples and may be applied without limitation as long as the heating element can perform heating to a desired temperature. Here, the desired temperature may be preset in the aerosol generating device 100 or may be set by a user.

[0069] For example, the heater assembly 104 may include a tubular heating element, a plate heating element, a needle heating element, or a rod heating element, and the heater assembly 104 may heat the inside or outside of the cigarette 200 according to the shape of the heating element.

[0070] In addition, a plurality of heating elements may also be arranged in the aerosol generating device 100. In this case, the heating element may be arranged to be inserted into the cigarette 200 or may be arranged outside the cigarette 200. According to an embodiment, some of the heating elements included in the plurality of heater assemblies 104 may be arranged to be inserted into the cigarette 200, while the remaining heating elements may be arranged outside the cigarette 200. In addition, the shape of the heater assembly 104 is not limited to Figure 1 The shapes shown in , and can be formed in various ways.

[0071] In addition, the induction coil 103 may be disposed around the receiving portion 101 . Figure 1 It is shown that the induction coil 103 is arranged to surround the accommodation portion 101 , but is not limited thereto.

[0072] When the cigarette 200 is accommodated in the accommodation portion 101 of the aerosol generating device 100, the aerosol generating device 100 may supply power to the induction coil 103 so that the induction coil 103 generates an alternating magnetic field. When the alternating magnetic field generated by the induction coil 103 passes through the base 102, the base 102 may be heated. When the aerosol generating substance in the cigarette 200 is heated by the heated base 102, an aerosol may be generated. The generated aerosol passes through the cigarette 200 to be delivered to the user.

[0073] The induction coil 103 may be a conductive coil that generates an alternating magnetic field by using power supplied from the battery 106. The induction coil 103 may be arranged to surround at least a portion of the accommodation portion 101. The alternating magnetic field generated by the induction coil 103 may be applied to the base 102 arranged inside the accommodation portion 101.

[0074] When the alternating magnetic field generated by the induction coil 103 passes through the susceptor 102, the susceptor 102 may be heated, and the susceptor 102 may include metal or carbon. For example, the susceptor 102 may include at least one of ferrite, ferromagnetic alloy, stainless steel, and aluminum.

[0075] In addition, the base 102 may include ceramics (e.g., graphite, molybdenum, silicon carbide, niobium, nickel alloy, metal film, or zirconium oxide), transition metals (e.g., nickel (Ni) or cobalt (Co)), and / or metalloids (e.g., boron (B) or phosphorus (P)). However, the base 102 is not limited to the above examples and may be applied without limitation as long as the base can be heated to a desired temperature when an alternating magnetic field is applied. Here, the desired temperature may be preset in the aerosol generating device 100 or may be set by a user.

[0076] When the cigarette 200 is accommodated in the accommodation portion 101 of the aerosol generating device 100, the base 102 may be located outside the cigarette 200. Therefore, the heated base 102 may increase the temperature of the aerosol generating substance in the cigarette 200.

[0077] Figure 1 The base 102 is shown to be arranged to surround the outside of the cigarette 200 and heat the outside of the cigarette 200, but is not limited thereto. For example, the base 102 may have a tubular shape, a plate shape, a needle shape, or a rod shape, and may be configured to heat the inside or outside of the cigarette 200 according to the shape of the base 102.

[0078] In addition, a plurality of bases 102 may also be arranged in the aerosol generating device 100. In this case, the plurality of bases 102 may be arranged to be inserted into the cigarette 200 or may be arranged outside the cigarette 200. According to an embodiment, some of the plurality of bases 102 may be arranged to be inserted into the cigarette 200, while the remaining bases may be arranged outside the cigarette 200. In addition, the shape of the base 102 is not limited to the shape of the base 102. Figure 1 The shapes shown can be formed in various ways.

[0079] In addition, in addition to the heater assembly 104, the processor 105 and the battery 106, the aerosol generating device 100 may also include other common components. For example, the aerosol generating device 100 may include a display capable of outputting visual information and / or a motor for outputting tactile information. In addition, the aerosol generating device 100 may include at least one sensor (e.g., a puff detection sensor, a temperature detection sensor, a cigarette insertion detection sensor, etc.). In addition, the aerosol generating device 100 may have a structure that allows internal gas to flow in or external gas to flow out, even when the cigarette 200 is inserted into the aerosol generating device 100.

[0080] although Figure 1 Not shown, the aerosol generating device 100 may also constitute a system together with a separate cradle. For example, the cradle may be used to charge the battery 106 of the aerosol generating device 100. The heater assembly 104 may also be heated when the cradle and the aerosol generating device 100 are coupled to each other.

[0081] The shape and structure of the cigarette 200 may be similar to those of a general combustion-type cigarette. For example, the cigarette 200 may be divided into a first portion including an aerosol-generating substance and a second portion including a filter. According to an embodiment, the second portion of the cigarette 200 may also include an aerosol-generating substance. For example, an aerosol-generating substance in the form of particles or capsules may also be inserted into the second portion.

[0082] When the cigarette is loaded in the aerosol generating device 100, the entire first part may be inserted into the aerosol generating device 100 and the second part may be exposed to the outside. According to an embodiment, only a portion of the first part may be inserted into the aerosol generating device 100. According to an embodiment, the entire first part and a portion of the second part may also be inserted into the aerosol generating device 100. The user may inhale the aerosol while holding the second part by the user's mouth. In this case, an aerosol is generated when external air passes through the first part, and the generated aerosol is delivered to the user's mouth through the second part.

[0083] As an example, external air may flow in through at least one air channel formed in the aerosol generating device 100. For example, the opening and closing of the air channel formed in the aerosol generating device 100 and / or the size of the air channel may be adjusted by the user. Thus, the user may adjust the amount of smoke (i.e., aerosol) and the feeling of smoking. As another example, external air may also flow into the cigarette 200 through at least one hole formed in the surface of the cigarette 200.

[0084] In the following, reference will be made to Figure 2 An example of a cigarette 200 is described.

[0085] Figure 2 A view showing an example of a cigarette is shown.

[0086] Reference Figure 2 , the cigarette 200 includes a tobacco rod 210 and a filter rod 220. Figure 1 The depicted first portion may include a tobacco rod 210 and the second portion may include a filter rod 220 .

[0087] Figure 2 The filter rod 220 is shown to include a single segment, but is not limited thereto. In other words, the filter rod 220 may include a plurality of segments. For example, the filter rod 220 may include a first segment configured to cool the aerosol and a second segment configured to filter a specific component included in the aerosol. In addition, as required, the filter rod 220 may also include at least one segment configured to perform other functions.

[0088] Cigarette 200 can be packed by at least one packing 240. Packing 240 can have at least one hole, and external air can be introduced through this hole or internal air can be discharged through this hole. For example, cigarette 200 can be packed by one packing 240. As another example, cigarette 200 can be double-packed by two or more packings 240. For example, tobacco rod 210 can be packed by the first packing, and filter rod 220 can be packed by the second packing. In addition, tobacco rod 210 and filter rod 220 packed by separate packing can be connected to each other, and whole cigarette 200 can be packed by the third packing. When each of tobacco rod 210 or filter rod 220 includes multiple segments, each segment can be packed by separate packing. In addition, whole cigarette 200 including multiple segments can be repacked by another packing, and described multiple segments are packed by separate packing and connected to each other.

[0089] The tobacco rod 210 may include an aerosol-generating substance. For example, the aerosol-generating substance may include at least one of glycerol, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, and oleyl alcohol, but is not limited thereto. In addition, the tobacco rod 210 may include other additives, such as flavoring agents, humectants, and / or organic acids. In addition, the tobacco rod 210 may include a flavor liquid injected into the tobacco rod 210, such as menthol or a humectant.

[0090] The tobacco rod 210 can be manufactured in various forms. For example, the tobacco rod 210 can be formed into a sheet or a wire. In addition, the tobacco rod 210 can be formed into shredded tobacco formed by tiny fragments cut from a tobacco sheet. In addition, the tobacco rod 210 can be surrounded by a heat conductive material.

[0091] For example, the heat conductive material may be, but is not limited to, a metal foil, such as an aluminum foil. For example, the heat conductive material surrounding the tobacco rod 210 may evenly distribute the heat transferred to the tobacco rod 210, thereby increasing the thermal conductivity applied to the tobacco rod and improving the taste of the tobacco. In addition, the heat conductive material surrounding the tobacco rod 210 may be used as a base heated by the induction heater. Here, although not shown in the figure, in addition to the heat conductive material surrounding the tobacco rod 210, the tobacco rod 210 may further include an additional base.

[0092] The filter rod 220 may include a cellulose acetate filter. The shape of the filter rod 220 is not limited. For example, the filter rod 220 may include a cylindrical rod or a tubular rod with a hollow interior. In addition, the filter rod 220 may include a concave rod. When the filter rod 220 includes a plurality of segments, at least one of the plurality of segments may have a different shape.

[0093] The filter rod 220 may be formed to generate a flavor. For example, a flavor liquid may be injected onto the filter rod 220, or an additional fiber coated with a flavor liquid may be inserted into the filter rod 220. In addition, the filter rod 220 may include at least one capsule 230. Here, the capsule 230 may perform a function of generating a flavor or an aerosol. For example, the capsule 230 may have a configuration in which a liquid film containing a flavor material is wrapped with a film. For example, the capsule 230 may have a spherical shape or a cylindrical shape, but is not limited thereto.

[0094] When the filter rod 220 includes a segment configured to cool the aerosol, the cooling segment may include a polymer material or a biodegradable polymer material. For example, the cooling segment may include only pure polylactic acid, but the material forming the cooling segment is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the cooling segment may include a cellulose acetate filter having a plurality of holes. However, the cooling segment is not limited to the above examples and is not limited as long as the cooling segment cools the aerosol.

[0095] At the same time, although Figure 2 Although not shown, the cigarette 200 according to the embodiment may further include a front filter. The front filter may be located on the side of the tobacco rod 210 opposite to the filter rod 220. During smoking, the front filter may prevent the tobacco rod 210 from separating outward and prevent the liquefied aerosol from flowing from the tobacco rod 210 to the aerosol generating device ( Figure 1 of 100).

[0096] In the following, reference will be made to Figure 3A and Figure 3B Describe the heater assembly.

[0097] Figure 3A is a cross-sectional view of a heater assembly according to an embodiment.

[0098] Figure 3A Components of a heater assembly 300 for heating an aerosol-generating substance are shown. The heater assembly 300 may include a receiving portion 310 for receiving the aerosol-generating substance, an induction coil 340 wound around an outer surface of the receiving portion 310, and a base 320 located in the receiving portion 310. The base 320 may be heated by an alternating magnetic field induced by a current flowing through the induction coil 340.

[0099] In addition, the heater assembly 300 may include a supporting element and a fixing element 350, wherein the supporting element fixes the position of the base 320 and spaces the base 320 apart from the inner surface of the accommodating portion 310 by a predetermined distance, and the fixing element 350 fixes the supporting element 330 to the accommodating portion 310 by being assembled into the gap between the supporting element and the accommodating portion 310.

[0100] However, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that some components of the heater assembly 300 shown in FIG. 3 may be omitted or other common components may be included in the heater assembly 300 .

[0101] The receiving portion 310 according to the embodiment may have a cylindrical shape. Specifically, the receiving portion 310 may have a cavity and an opening on one side.

[0102] Components such as the base 320, the support member 330, and the fixing member 350 may be located in the cavity of the accommodating portion 310, and the induction coil 340 may be wound around the outside of the accommodating portion 310. In addition, an aerosol generating substance or a cigarette may be loaded in the cavity of the accommodating portion 310.

[0103] The accommodating portion 310 is not limited to a specific shape. For example, the accommodating portion 310 may have a square column shape or a triangular column shape. The shape of the induction coil 340 formed by the wire wound around the outer surface of the accommodating portion 310 may correspond to the shape of the accommodating portion 310. For example, the induction coil 340 may have a square column shape or a triangular column shape.

[0104] The base 320 may be located in the receiving portion 310. A horizontal cross section of the base 320 taken perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the receiving portion 310 may be circular. A space between the base 320 and the receiving portion 310 may be changed according to the cross-sectional shape of the receiving portion 310.

[0105] For example, if the receiving portion 310 has a square column shape, the cross section of the receiving portion 310 may be a square. In this case, when the tubular base 320 is located in the receiving portion 310, a space may be formed between the inner surface of the receiving portion 310 and the base 320. Therefore, the heat generated by the base 320 may be better dissipated to the outside of the heater assembly 300.

[0106] In addition, the accommodating portion 310 can be formed of a plastic polyetheretherketone (PEEK) material having excellent molding processability, so that the accommodating portion 310 can be easily manufactured into a desired shape. In addition, PEEK has high heat resistance, excellent wear resistance, impact resistance and hydrolysis resistance, so the durability of the heater assembly 300 can be improved.

[0107] The base 320 may be located in the receiving portion 310 and may have various shapes to heat the aerosol generating substance or the cigarette.

[0108] Figure 3A A heater assembly 300 according to an embodiment is shown. A susceptor according to an embodiment may have a tubular shape (hereinafter, referred to as a "hollow tubular susceptor 320").

[0109] The inner diameter of the hollow tubular base 320 may be designed such that the outer surface of the aerosol generating substance or cigarette accommodated in the accommodation portion 310 is in contact with or close enough to the inner surface 322 of the hollow tubular base 320 to receive heat therefrom.

[0110] In addition, the length (i.e., height) of the hollow tubular base 320 can be designed to heat the portion of the cigarette that needs to be heated, such as the portion of the cigarette that includes the aerosol generating substance. Since the hollow tubular base 320 is designed to have a size suitable for heating the aerosol generating substance or the cigarette, the aerosol generating device including the heater assembly 300 can effectively generate aerosol.

[0111] In addition, the hollow tubular base 320 may be spaced apart from the inner surface of the receiving portion 310 by the support member 330. In addition, the hollow tubular base 320 may be coupled to the support member 330 to form a base assembly, and the base assembly may be fixed to the receiving portion 310. The details will be described below together with the support member.

[0112] Furthermore, the hollow tubular base 320 may be arranged such that the receiving portion 310 and the hollow tubular base 320 have a common central vertical axis. Therefore, an aerosol generating substance or a cigarette may be easily inserted into the hollow tubular base 320.

[0113] In addition, the susceptor 320 may be heated by an induced current or a back electromotive force generated by a change in an alternating magnetic field generated by an alternating current flowing through the induction coil 340. Specifically, the susceptor 320 may be heated by an eddy current loss or a hysteresis loss caused by a current induced in the susceptor 320, depending on electromagnetic properties of a material forming the susceptor.

[0114] The support member 330 may have a configuration that fixes the position of the susceptor and spaces the susceptor 320 apart from the inner surface of the accommodation portion 310 by a predetermined distance to prevent heat generated by the susceptor from being directly conducted to the accommodation portion 310. The heater assembly 300 may include one or more support members 330 therein.

[0115] The support member 330 according to the embodiment may have a hat shape (hereinafter, referred to as "hat-shaped support member 330"). The horizontal cross-section of the hat-shaped support member 330 may be an annular shape. The hat-shaped support member 330 may have an upper portion 332 and a side portion 333 extending vertically from the outer edge of the upper portion 332.

[0116] In addition, a support member opening 331 may be formed in the upper portion 332 of the cap-shaped support member 330. The diameter of the support member opening 331 may be greater than the diameter of the base opening 321. An aerosol generating substance or a cigarette may be inserted into the hollow tubular base 320 through the base opening 321.

[0117] Thus, the cap-shaped support member 330 may be coupled to the hollow tubular base 320 such that the center of the support member opening 331 coincides with the center of the base opening 321 , thereby forming a base assembly.

[0118] Since the diameter of the support member opening 331 is larger than the diameter of the base opening 321, the cap-shaped support member 330 does not cover the base opening 321 of the hollow tubular base 320 in a state where the hollow tubular base 320 and the cap-shaped support member 330 are coupled to each other. Therefore, the cigarette can be inserted into the hollow tubular base 320 without being interfered by the cap-shaped support member 330.

[0119] In addition, the cap-shaped support element 330 may include a first cap-shaped portion and a second cap-shaped portion. The first cap-shaped portion may cover at least a portion of the upper surface and the outer surface of the hollow tubular base 320, and the second cap-shaped portion may cover at least a portion of the lower surface and the outer surface of the hollow tubular base 320. Therefore, the hollow tubular base 320 may not be in direct contact with the accommodating portion 310.

[0120] The cap-shaped support member 330 has a side portion 333 extending vertically from the outer edge of the upper portion 332, thereby covering a portion of the outer surface 323 of the hollow tubular base 320. Therefore, the upper surface, the lower surface, and the outer surface of the hollow tubular base 320 may contact the cap-shaped support member 330, so that the hollow tubular base 320 and the cap-shaped support member 330 may be more firmly coupled to each other.

[0121] Figure 3B is a cross-sectional view of a heater assembly according to another embodiment.

[0122] Figure 3B A heater assembly 300 according to another embodiment is shown. The heater assembly according to the present embodiment may include a base 360 ​​(hereinafter referred to as a "needle-type base"), which includes a support portion 361 provided at a lower portion and a protrusion 362 protruding from the center of the support portion 361. The protrusion 362 may be formed in a needle shape with a pointed tip. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the protrusion may be implemented in various ways. For example, the protrusion may have a tubular shape or may be implemented by a plurality of needle-shaped protrusions.

[0123] According to an embodiment, the needle base 360 ​​may have a rounded end instead of a rounded end. Figure 3B That is, the needle-type base 360 ​​may be used without limitation on the shape as long as the base can perform the function of heating the aerosol generating material or the cigarette.

[0124] The needle-shaped protrusion 362 may be designed to make thermal contact with the inside of the aerosol generating substance or the cigarette accommodated in the accommodation portion 310. In addition, the length of the needle-shaped base 360 ​​may be designed to reach the part of the aerosol generating substance or the cigarette that needs to be heated.

[0125] The support element 370 according to the embodiment (hereinafter, referred to as a "base type support element") may be arranged to support the lower end portion of the support portion 361 of the needle type base 360. That is, the protrusion 362 may be formed on one side (e.g., the top surface) of the support portion 361, and the needle type base 360 ​​supports the side (e.g., the bottom surface) opposite to the side on which the protrusion 362 is formed.

[0126] Specifically, the base type support element 370 may be coupled to the lower end of the support portion 361 of the needle base 360 ​​to form a base assembly. Specifically, the base type support element 370 may support the needle base 360 ​​by covering the lower surface and the outer portion of the support portion.

[0127] The heater assembly 300 using the needle-type base 360 ​​can directly heat the aerosol generating material or the inside of the cigarette, thereby improving the heating efficiency of the aerosol generating device.

[0128] The base assembly including the base and the support member can be inserted into the receiving portion 310 by an interference fit method so that the base assembly is fixed in the receiving portion 310. In addition, the base and the receiving portion 310 are physically separated by the support member so that there are no mutually contacting surfaces, and therefore, the heat generated by the base can be prevented from being directly transferred to the receiving portion 310.

[0129] The induction coil 340 may be a wire wound around the outer surface of the receiving portion 310. The shape of the induction coil 340 may correspond to the shape of the receiving portion 310.

[0130] For example, when the receiving portion 310 has a cylindrical shape, the induction coil 340 may be wound in the cylindrical shape. In addition, the wire may be wound such that the length of the induction coil 340 is the same as that of the base.

[0131] As will be Figure 5 As described in , the inductance value of the induction coil 340 changes according to the length and cross-sectional area of ​​the induction coil 340 , and thus the heating efficiency can be changed according to the shape and size of the induction coil 340 .

[0132] In addition, a bobbin may be used as a frame to form the induction coil 340, which has a shape of a wire wound around the outer surface of the receiving portion. Figure 7 As described in, when the shape of the induction coil 340 is determined, a suitable bobbin is made and a wire is wound around the bobbin to make the induction coil 340, and the induction coil 340 having the desired shape can be mass-produced by separating the bobbin and the induction coil 340.

[0133] According to an embodiment, a fixing member 350 may be further included in the heater assembly 300. Even if the heater assembly 300 has the supporting member 330, the base assembly may not be firmly fixed in the receiving portion 310 due to tolerance of each component.

[0134] The fixing member 350 may be inserted into the gap between the supporting member 330 and the receiving portion 310 to fix the supporting member 330 to the receiving portion 310. In this way, the entire base assembly may be securely fixed within the receiving portion 310.

[0135] Specifically, a protrusion 351 may be formed at one end of the fixing element 350, and a groove that can be coupled to the protrusion 351 may be formed in the inner surface of the accommodating portion 310. When the protrusion 351 is coupled to the groove of the accommodating portion 310, the base assembly can be more firmly fixed inside the accommodating portion 310.

[0136] Figure 4A is an exploded view of a base assembly according to an embodiment.

[0137] Figure 4A A hollow tubular base 410 and two cap-like support elements 420 and 430 are shown. The left cap-like support element of the hollow tubular base 410 will be referred to as a first cap-like portion 420 and the right cap-like support element will be referred to as a second cap-like portion 430.

[0138] The hollow tubular base 410 may be coupled to the first cap-shaped portion 420 at one end (hereinafter referred to as “first end”), and may be coupled to the second cap-shaped portion 430 at the other end (hereinafter referred to as “second end”).

[0139] As shown, the hollow tubular base 410 may have openings in the first end and the second end (hereinafter referred to as "base opening 411"). In addition, the support elements 420 and 430 may have openings (hereinafter referred to as "support element openings"). Figure 4A As shown, a support element opening may be formed in each of the first cap portion 420 and the second cap portion 430 .

[0140] For example, the diameter of the first opening 421 formed in the upper portion 422 of the first cap 420 may be greater than the diameter of the base opening 411. In addition, the diameter of the second opening 431 formed in the upper portion 432 of the second cap 430 may be greater than the diameter of the base opening 411.

[0141] refer to Figure 4A The first cap-shaped portion 420 may include a first upper portion 422 and a first side portion 423. The first upper portion 422 may cover at least a portion of the upper surface 412 of the hollow tubular base 410, and the first side portion 423 may cover at least a portion of the outer surface 413 of the hollow tubular base 410.

[0142] In addition, the second cap 430 may include a second upper portion 432 and a second side portion 433. The second upper portion 432 may cover at least a portion of the lower surface 414 of the hollow tubular base 410, and the second side portion 433 may cover at least a portion of the outer surface 413 of the hollow tubular base 410.

[0143] Thus, the first cap portion 420 and the second cap portion 430 may be coupled to the hollow tubular base 410 to form a base assembly.

[0144] Furthermore, the first cap-shaped portion 420 and the second cap-shaped portion 430 may be designed with an interference fit tolerance such that the inner diameters 424 and 434 of the side portions 423 and 433 of the support element are smaller than the outer diameter of the hollow tubular base 410 .

[0145] Therefore, the first cap portion 420 and the second cap portion 430 may be coupled to the hollow tubular base 410 without an additional fastening element or adhesive material. As a result, the production process may be simplified and the production cost may be reduced.

[0146] Figure 4B is an exploded view of a base assembly according to another embodiment.

[0147] Figure 4B A needle-type base 440 and a base-type support element 450 are shown. As shown, the needle-type base 440 may include a protrusion 441 and a support portion 442. The protrusion 441 protrudes on the upper surface of the support portion 442. In addition, the base-type support element 450 may include a lower portion 452 and a side portion 453. When the needle-type base 440 and the base-type support element 450 are combined, the lower surface of the needle-type base 440 faces the upper surface of the lower portion 452 of the base-type support element 450. Although not shown, an opening may be formed in the lower portion 452 of the base-type support element 450.

[0148] The lower portion 452 may cover at least a portion of the lower surface of the support portion 442, and the side portion 453 may cover at least a portion of the outer surface (i.e., the side surface) of the support portion 442. Thus, the needle-type base 440 and the base-type support element 450 may be coupled to each other to form a base assembly.

[0149] In addition, the base type support element 450 may be designed to have an interference fit tolerance so that the inner diameter 454 of the side portion 453 is smaller than the diameter of the support portion 442 of the needle base 440. Therefore, the needle base 440 and the base type support element 450 may be coupled to each other without a separate fastening element or adhesive material.

[0150] The base may generate heat for heating the aerosol generating substance or the cigarette, and the base may be heated to a temperature of about 300° C. or higher. The support element may be used to reduce heat transferred from the base to the receiving portion.

[0151] The support element may be formed of a material having low thermal conductivity to minimize high temperature heat transferred from the base to the receiving portion. In addition, the support element may be made of a high heat resistant material to avoid being melted by high temperature heat.

[0152] In addition, the support element can be formed of a material having excellent mechanical properties so that it does not change shape due to heat. In addition, the support element can be formed of a material having excellent electrical properties to be electrically insulated from the accommodating portion and the induction coil. For example, the support element can be formed of PLAVIS.

[0153] PLAVIS is a plastic material and has mechanical properties including high heat resistance, high wear resistance and low friction, and PLAVIS also has electrical properties including excellent electrical insulation. Therefore, PLAVIS may be a suitable material for the support element.

[0154] Specifically, PLAVIS can be used stably at high temperatures of about 300°C and can have a high PV value and a low friction coefficient over a wide temperature range. In addition, PLAVIS also has high temperature tensile strength and excellent high-temperature creep performance. In this way, the possibility of deformation due to heat can be reduced. In addition, since PLAVIS maintains electrical insulation over a wide temperature range, the possibility of a short circuit between the induction coil and the base can be reduced.

[0155] Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of an induction coil including a bonding member according to various embodiments is shown.

[0156] According to the embodiment, the wire may have a circular cross-sectional shape (a), a square cross-sectional shape (b), or a triangular cross-sectional shape (c). However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art related to the present embodiment may understand that other shapes other than the above cross-sectional shapes may be adopted.

[0157] In addition, the wire may include a conductor 511, an insulator 512, and a coupling member 513. Specifically, the insulator 512 may be formed on the outside of the conductor 511 coaxially with the conductor 511, and the coupling member 513 may be formed on the outside of the insulator 512 coaxially with the insulator 512. Figure 5 It is shown that the coupling member 513 is included, but the coupling member 513 may not be included.

[0158] The inductance of the induction coil is proportional to the number of wire turns per unit length, as shown in Equation 1 below.

[0159] Equation 1

[0160] L=μ o n 2 ia

[0161] where μ o is the magnetic permeability in vacuum, n is the number of wire turns per unit length, l is the length of the induction coil, and A is the cross-sectional area of ​​the induction coil.

[0162] An induction coil with an applied AC current can generate a back EMF that is proportional to the inductance value as shown in Equation 2 below.

[0163] Equation 2

[0164]

[0165] where V is the back EMF, L is the inductance of the induction coil, and is the time rate of change of the alternating current. Therefore, the inductance value is related to the larger number of turns per unit length n, the larger length I of the induction coil, and the cross-sectional area A (i.e. Figure 5 The electrical efficiency of the induction coil can be improved by controlling these parameters.

[0166] The number of turns per unit length of the induction coil can be varied depending on the cross-sectional shape of the wire. Figure 5 , for the same cross-sectional area, a coil formed by a wire having a triangular cross-sectional shape (c) can have a greater number of turns than a coil formed by a wire having a circular cross-sectional shape (a).

[0167] Thus, the induction coil can be formed of wires having various cross-sectional shapes in consideration of production cost and electrical efficiency. In addition, the shape of the induction coil changes according to the shape of the bobbin around which the wire is wound, and therefore, the inductance value can be adjusted by changing the cross-sectional area of ​​the induction coil.

[0168] The induction coil according to the embodiment may be formed of a wire 510 having a circular cross-sectional shape. The wire may be wound around a bobbin so that the induction coil may be coupled to the outer surface of the receiving portion.

[0169] Furthermore, when the coupling member 513 is heat-treated while the wires are wound, the wires may be coupled to each other, so that the shape of the induction coil may be fixed.

[0170] For example, the heat treatment temperature may be less than or equal to the heat resistance temperature of the conductor 511 and the insulator 512, and the heat treatment temperature may be greater than or equal to the heat resistance temperature of the bonding member 513. When the bonding member 513 is melted by the heat treatment, the gap between adjacent wires is narrowed and the number of wire turns per unit length may increase.

[0171] When the bonding member 513 is cooled after the heat treatment, the bonding member 513 may be solidified and adjacent wires may be bonded to each other. Thus, the shape of the induction coil may be fixed.

[0172] Specifically, the bonding member 513 is melted during the bonding of the wires, and the space between the adjacent wires of the induction coil can be minimized. Referring to reference numeral 515, before the adjacent wires are bonded to each other, the space between the adjacent wires may be wide. On the other hand, referring to reference numeral 516, after the adjacent wires are bonded to each other, the space between the adjacent wires is reduced and the adjacent wires are fixed. Therefore, the space between the adjacent wires can be minimized.

[0173] As the number of turns per unit length of the induction coil increases, the inductance value can be increased. Therefore, the heating efficiency of the heater assembly can be improved, and the power consumption of the aerosol generating device using the heater assembly can be reduced.

[0174] like Figure 5 As shown, the wires can be combined into different shapes according to the cross-sectional shape of the wires. In addition, according to the heat treatment method of the combined member 513, the heat treatment conditions (such as heat treatment temperature or heat treatment time), and the method of winding the wires on the bobbin, the wires can be combined in different ways. Therefore, induction coils with various inductance values ​​can be manufactured.

[0175] According to an embodiment, the wires of the induction coil may be combined with each other so that the cross section of the combined wire has a circular shape 514. According to another embodiment, the wires of the induction coil may be combined with each other so that the cross section of the combined wire has a rectangular shape 525. According to another embodiment, the wires of the induction coil may be combined with each other so that the cross section of the combined wire has a trapezoidal shape 535.

[0176] In addition, the induction coil formed by the wire including the coupling member 513 can be heated after winding the wire, or the wire including the coupling member 513 can be heated by Joule heat generated by current flowing through the coil, so that the wire can be coupled. Therefore, the shape of the induction coil can be fixed without an additional fixing procedure, so that the production process of the induction coil can be simplified.

[0177] In addition, according to the method of fixing the induction coil by using the bonding member 513, even in the gap between the wires, the wires can be bonded by the molten bonding member 513, and thus, the shape of the induction coil can be more firmly fixed. Therefore, the manufacturability of the induction coil can be improved and the assembly process of the induction coil and the accommodating portion can be simplified. As a result, the product quality can be improved and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[0178] The bonding member 513 may include polyamide and / or polyvinyl butyral (PVB). It is known that polyamide has excellent adhesion and a high melting point due to hydrogen bonding. In addition, since polyvinyl butyral has excellent adhesion and thermosetting properties, polyvinyl butyral may be a suitable material for fixing the shape of the induction coil by bonding wire.

[0179] Furthermore, the wire forming the induction coil may include litz wires made by twisting thin wires, each of which includes a conductor 511 , an insulator 512 surrounding the conductor 511 , and a bonding member 513 surrounding the conductor 511 .

[0180] Specifically, Litz wire can be made by braiding 10 to 100 thin wires, each with a diameter of about 0.1 mm, to increase the surface area from a physical perspective and provide excellent frequency characteristics from an electrical perspective. Therefore, the skin effect can be reduced, the effective resistance of the wire can be reduced, and the heating efficiency of the induction coil according to high-frequency alternating current can be increased.

[0181] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of an induction coil wrapped by a bonding element according to an embodiment.

[0182] According to an embodiment, the wire constituting the induction coil may be formed of a conductor 611 and an insulator 612. Specifically, the insulator 612 may be formed outside the conductor 611 in a coaxial manner with the conductor 611. The wire including the conductor 611 and the insulator 612 does not include a coupling member, so the production cost can be reduced.

[0183] However, if the wires are not fixed by the coupling element 613, the shape of the induction coil may be deformed due to some wires being deviated from the position due to external force, etc. In order to prevent this, the induction coil may be wound in a shape so that it can be coupled to the outer surface 621 of the accommodating portion, and then the outside of the induction coil may be wrapped with the coupling element 613. Thus, the shape of the induction coil can be fixed.

[0184] In addition, the material forming the bonding element may be polyimide. Polyimide has excellent heat resistance, thereby preventing the bonding element 613 from being melted due to the heat generated by the base. In addition, polyimide may have almost no characteristic changes in a wide temperature range and may have excellent electrical properties.

[0185] For example, when current flows through the induction coil wrapped by the bonding element 613, the bonding element 613 may be heated by Joule heat. However, since polyimide has excellent heat resistance, the risk of phase change of the bonding element may be reduced.

[0186] The bonding element may be an adhesive film formed of polyimide. The outer portion, the upper portion, the inner portion, and the lower portion of the induction coil may be wrapped by the film without a gap, so that the shape of the induction coil may be fixed.

[0187] Furthermore, polyimide is known to be odorless when evaporated, and therefore, the taste of aerosol generated by an aerosol generating device to which the induction coil fixed by the bonding element 613 is applied can be improved.

[0188] Furthermore, the wire constituting the induction coil may include a Litz wire produced by twisting thin wires including a conductor 611 and an insulator 612 surrounding the conductor 611 .

[0189] Figure 7 The following is a flow chart of a method of manufacturing a heater assembly according to an embodiment.

[0190] Figure 7 A flow chart of a method of manufacturing a heater assembly for heating an aerosol-generating substance is shown.

[0191] Referring to step 701, a base and a support element may be coupled to each other to form a base assembly. As described above, the base may be a hollow tubular base or a needle-type base. In addition, the support element may be a cap-shaped support element or a base-type support element.

[0192] For example, a base assembly including a hollow tubular base may be formed by coupling a first cap to one end of the hollow tubular base and by coupling a second cap to the other end of the hollow tubular base.

[0193] As another example, a base assembly including a pin-type base may be formed by coupling a foot-type support element to a support portion of the pin-type base.

[0194] Referring to step 702, the base assembly may be positioned and fixed in the receiving portion such that the base is spaced a predetermined distance from the inner surface of the receiving portion. That is, the base may be located in the receiving portion, but due to the support element, the base may not be in direct contact with the inner side of the receiving portion.

[0195] As above reference Figure 3A As described above, the center of the base assembly can coincide with the center of the receiving portion. In addition, a fixing element can be inserted into the gap between the receiving portion and the supporting element of the base assembly, so that the base assembly and the receiving portion can be more firmly connected to each other.

[0196] Referring to step 703 , the induction coil may be formed into a shape that can be coupled to the outer surface of the receiving portion (ie, a shape corresponding to the outer surface of the receiving portion) by winding a wire including a conductor, an insulator, and a coupling member.

[0197] As described above, the induction coil may be formed by directly winding the wire around the receiving portion, but may be formed by winding the wire around a bobbin to improve assembly performance and productivity.

[0198] The bobbin may refer to a cylindrical member around which a wire is wound to form an induction coil suitable for a pre-designed shape and size. After the shape of the induction coil is determined, a bobbin corresponding to the shape may be produced, and the induction coil may be mass-produced by winding the wire on the bobbin and separating the induction coil.

[0199] It is possible to insert a mass-produced induction coil into the accommodating portion and couple the inserted induction coil to the accommodating portion, and thus, it is possible to improve assembling properties and productivity of the heater assembly.

[0200] In addition, according to the method of manufacturing the coil by winding the wire on the bobbin, it is not necessary to directly wind the coil around the receiving portion including the base assembly. Therefore, the movement of the base assembly during the production process of the heater assembly can be minimized, and thus the possibility of displacement of each internal component can be reduced.

[0201] That is, the method of winding the wire around the bobbin may reduce the possibility of producing a defective heater assembly when compared to the method of winding the wire directly around the receiving portion.

[0202] Referring to step 704, the shape of the induction coil may be fixed by heating the induction coil to a predetermined temperature and then cooling the induction coil. The predetermined temperature may be less than or equal to the heat resistance temperature of the conductor and the insulator and may be greater than or equal to the heat resistance temperature of the bonding member.

[0203] Specifically, by melting only the bonding member without damaging the conductor and the insulator, the gap between the adjacent wires constituting the induction coil can be minimized. That is, when the molten induction coil is cooled, the bonding member can be bonded between the adjacent wires while solidifying, and thus the shape of the induction coil can be fixed.

[0204] Referring to step 705, an induction coil having a fixed shape may be coupled to the outer surface of the accommodating portion. The induction coil is wound in a shape that can be coupled to the accommodating portion (i.e., a shape corresponding to the outer surface of the accommodating portion), and the shape of the induction coil is fixed through step 704 (i.e., by heating the induction coil and cooling the induction coil). Therefore, the induction coil may be coupled to the accommodating portion by fitting the induction coil around the accommodating portion. Therefore, the heater assembly according to the embodiment may be manufactured.

[0205] Figure 8 A flow chart of a method of manufacturing a heater assembly according to another embodiment.

[0206] Step 801 and step 802 can be combined with Figure 7 Step 701 and step 702 of the illustrated method of manufacturing a heater assembly are the same.

[0207] Referring to step 803, the induction coil may be formed into a shape that can be coupled to the outer surface of the accommodating portion (i.e., a shape corresponding to the outer surface of the accommodating portion) by winding a wire including a conductor and an insulator. Figure 7 Compared with the embodiment of the present invention, since the wire does not include a coupling member, the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[0208] Referring to step 804, the shape of the induction coil may be fixed by wrapping the outside of the induction coil with a binding element. The binding element may include an adhesive material, and the binding element may be formed in the form of an adhesive tape or an adhesive film. By wrapping the surface of the induction coil with the binding element, the wire may be fixed so that the wire does not shift from a set position. For example, the material forming the binding element may be polyimide.

[0209] Referring to step 805, the fixed induction coil may be coupled to the outer surface of the receiving portion. The wire-fixed induction coil may be assembled around the receiving portion so that the wire surrounds the outer surface of the receiving portion, thereby manufacturing a heater assembly.

[0210] Fig. 9 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.

[0211] refer to Fig. 9 , the aerosol generating device 900 may include a processor 910 , a heater assembly 920 , a battery 930 , a memory 940 , a sensor 950 , and an interface 960 .

[0212] The heater assembly 920 is electrically heated by power supplied from the battery 930 under the control of the processor 910. The heater assembly 920 may be located in a housing space of the aerosol generating device 900 that houses the cigarette.

[0213] After the cigarette is inserted from the outside through the insertion hole of the aerosol generating device 900, the cigarette is placed in the accommodating space. Therefore, one end of the cigarette can be inserted into the heater assembly 920. Therefore, the heated heater assembly 920 can increase the temperature of the aerosol generating substance in the cigarette. The heater assembly 920 can be applied without limitation as long as the heater assembly can accommodate the cigarette.

[0214] In order to stably use the aerosol generating device 900, the heater assembly 920 may be supplied with power according to the regulations of 3.2V, 2.4A, and 8W, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, when power is supplied to the heater assembly 920, the surface temperature of the base may rise to 400° C. or higher. Before 15 seconds have passed since the start of power supply to the heater assembly 920, the surface temperature of the base may rise to about 350° C.

[0215] The aerosol generating device 900 may include a separate temperature sensor. Alternatively, instead of including a separate temperature sensor, the heater assembly 920 may be used as a temperature sensor. Alternatively, while the heater assembly 920 is used as a temperature sensor, a separate temperature sensor may be additionally provided in the aerosol generating device 900.

[0216] The processor 910 controls all operations of the aerosol generating device 900. The processor 910 is an integrated circuit implemented as a processing unit such as a microprocessor and a microcontroller.

[0217] The processor 910 analyzes the result sensed by the sensor 950 and controls subsequent processing to be performed. The processor 910 may start or stop the supply of power from the battery 930 to the heater assembly 920 according to the sensing result.

[0218] In addition, the processor 910 may control the amount of power supplied to the heater assembly 920 and the time of supplying power so that the heater assembly 920 is heated to a predetermined temperature or maintains an appropriate temperature. In addition, the processor 910 may process various types of input information and output information of the interface 960 .

[0219] The processor 910 may count the number of times the user smokes using the aerosol generating device 900 , and control related functions of the aerosol generating device 900 according to the counting result to restrict the user's smoking.

[0220] The memory 940 is a hardware component configured to store various data processed in the aerosol generating device 900, and the memory 940 can store data processed or to be processed by the processor 910. The memory 940 can include various types of memories: random access memory (RAM), such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and static random access memory (SRAM), etc.; read-only memory (ROM); electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), etc.

[0221] The memory 940 can store data related to the user's smoking pattern, such as smoking time and smoking frequency. In addition, the memory 940 can store data related to the reference temperature change value when the cigarette is accommodated in the accommodating channel.

[0222] The battery 930 supplies power for operating the aerosol generating device 900. That is, the battery 930 can supply power to heat the base. In addition, the battery 930 can supply power required for operating other hardware, the processor 910, the sensor 950, and the interface 960 provided in the aerosol generating device 900.

[0223] The battery 930 may be a lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO 4 ) battery, but is not limited thereto, and the battery 930 may be manufactured as a lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO 2 ) battery, a lithium titanate battery, etc. The battery 930 may be a rechargeable battery or a disposable battery.

[0224] The sensor 950 may include various types of sensors, such as a puff detection sensor (temperature detection sensor, flow detection sensor, position detection sensor, etc.), a cigarette insertion detection sensor, and a temperature detection sensor of a base. The result sensed by the sensor 950 is transmitted to the processor 910, and the processor 910 may control the aerosol generating device 900 to implement various functions, such as controlling the temperature of the heater assembly 920, restricting smoking, determining whether a smoking cigarette is inserted, and displaying a notification according to the sensing result.

[0225] The interface 960 may include various interface devices, such as a display or a light that outputs visual information, a motor that outputs tactile information, a speaker that outputs sound information, a terminal for data communication with an input / output (I / O) interface unit (such as a button and a touch screen) or a terminal for receiving power for receiving input information from a user or outputting information to a user, and a communication interface module for performing wireless communication with an external device (such as Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth, near field communication (NFC), etc.). However, the aerosol generating device 900 may select some of the various interface devices exemplified above to perform.

[0226] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the scope of the above-mentioned features. The disclosed method should be considered as descriptive only and not for the purpose of limitation. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description, and all differences within the equivalent range of the present disclosure should be interpreted as included in the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A heater assembly for heating an aerosol-generating substance, the heater assembly comprising: a containing portion, the containing portion being configured to contain the aerosol generating substance; an induction coil, the induction coil being coupled to an outer surface of the accommodating portion; a base, the base being located in the accommodation portion and configured to generate heat by an alternating magnetic field generated by a current flowing through the induction coil; as well as a supporting element coupled to the base so that the base is spaced apart from an inner surface of the receiving portion by the supporting element, The induction coil includes a wire, the wire includes a conductor, an insulator surrounding the conductor, and a bonding member surrounding the insulator, and wherein the base has a hollow tubular shape, the base has a base opening, The support element has a hat shape, the support element has a support element opening, The diameter of the support element opening is greater than the diameter of the base opening, and the support element is coupled to the base so that the center of the support element opening coincides with the center of the base opening, The support element includes a first cap-shaped portion and a second cap-shaped portion, and The first cap-shaped portion covers at least part of the upper surface of the base and at least part of the outer surface of the base, and the second cap-shaped portion covers at least part of the lower surface of the base and at least part of the outer surface of the base.

2. The heater assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The induction coil has a shape corresponding to the outer surface of the accommodating portion, When the bonding member is heated to a predetermined temperature and then cooled, the induction coil is fixed in the shape, and The predetermined temperature does not exceed the heat-resistant temperature of the conductor and the insulator, and the predetermined temperature is greater than or equal to the heat-resistant temperature of the bonding member. 3 . The heater assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a fixing member disposed in a gap between the supporting member and the receiving portion such that the supporting member is fixed to the receiving portion.

4. The heater assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The bonding member includes at least one of polyamide and polyvinyl butyral.

5. The heater assembly of claim 1, wherein: The support member includes a high heat-resistant material, and the support member is configured to block heat transfer from the base to the accommodation portion.

6. The heater assembly of claim 1, wherein: The induction coil includes Litz wires made by twisting wires, each of the wires including the conductor, the insulator surrounding the conductor, and the bonding member surrounding the insulator.

7. A heater assembly for heating an aerosol-generating substance, the heater assembly comprising: a containing portion, the containing portion being configured to contain the aerosol generating substance; an induction coil, the induction coil being coupled to an outer surface of the accommodating portion; a base, the base being located in the accommodation portion and configured to generate heat by an alternating magnetic field generated by a current flowing through the induction coil; as well as a supporting element arranged between the base and the receiving portion so that the base is spaced apart from an inner surface of the receiving portion by a predetermined distance, wherein the induction coil comprises a wire, the wire comprises a conductor and an insulator surrounding the conductor, and the induction coil is wrapped by a binding element, and wherein the base has a hollow tubular shape, the base has a base opening, The support element has a hat shape, the support element has a support element opening, The diameter of the support element opening is greater than the diameter of the base opening, and the support element is coupled to the base so that the center of the support element opening coincides with the center of the base opening, The support element includes a first cap-shaped portion and a second cap-shaped portion, and The first cap-shaped portion covers at least part of the upper surface of the base and at least part of the outer surface of the base, and the second cap-shaped portion covers at least part of the lower surface of the base and at least part of the outer surface of the base.

8. The heater assembly of claim 7, wherein: The induction coil has a shape corresponding to an outer surface of the accommodation portion, and the induction coil maintains the shape by the coupling member. 9 . The heater assembly according to claim 7 , further comprising a fixing member disposed in a gap between the supporting member and the receiving portion such that the supporting member is fixed to the receiving portion.

10. The heater assembly of claim 8, wherein: The bonding element includes polyimide.

11. A method of manufacturing a heater assembly for heating an aerosol-generating substance, wherein: The method comprises: A base assembly is formed by coupling a base having a base opening to a support element having a support element opening for supporting the base, so that the center of the support element opening coincides with the center of the base opening, wherein the diameter of the support element opening is larger than the diameter of the base opening, the base has a hollow tubular shape, the support element has a hat shape and includes a first hat portion and a second hat portion, the first hat portion covers at least a portion of an upper surface of the base and at least a portion of an outer surface of the base, and the second hat portion covers at least a portion of a lower surface of the base and at least a portion of an outer surface of the base; positioning the base assembly in a receiving portion for receiving the aerosol generating substance such that the base is spaced apart from an inner surface of the receiving portion by the support element by a predetermined distance; forming an induction coil having a shape corresponding to an outer surface of the accommodation portion by winding a wire including a conductor, an insulator, and a coupling member; heating the induction coil to a predetermined temperature to melt the bonding member; cooling the induction coil so that the melted bonding member solidifies and the shape of the induction coil is fixed by the solidified bonding member; and The induction coil is mounted around the outer surface of the accommodating portion.

12. A method of manufacturing a heater assembly for heating an aerosol-generating substance, wherein: The method comprises: A base assembly is formed by coupling a base having a base opening to a support element having a support element opening so that a center of the support element opening coincides with a center of the base opening, wherein a diameter of the support element opening is larger than a diameter of the base opening, the base having a hollow tubular shape, the support element having a hat shape and comprising a first hat portion and a second hat portion, the first hat portion covering at least a portion of an upper surface of the base and at least a portion of an outer surface of the base, and the second hat portion covering at least a portion of a lower surface of the base and at least a portion of an outer surface of the base; positioning the base assembly in a receiving portion for receiving the aerosol generating substance such that the base is spaced apart from an inner surface of the receiving portion by the support element; forming an induction coil having a shape corresponding to an outer surface of the accommodation portion by winding a wire including a conductor and an insulator; Wrapping the induction coil with a binding element so that the shape of the induction coil is fixed by the binding element; and The induction coil is mounted around the outer surface of the accommodating portion.

Images